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2014 NBA playoff preview: Rested Heat will have something to say in the East

It’s the annual playoff preview edition, which this year only includes seven series because the Raptors are in one and there will be much more on that over the next couple of days.

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 8 Atlanta

Season series: 2-2

Overview

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Despite finishing with the No. 1 seed in the East, the Pacers stumbled home down the stretch in a lot of ways. Their offence went south and the defensive intensity was nowhere near where it was at the start of the season.

Roy Hibbert was benched for the second half of one game and all five starters took the same night off in a win over Milwaukee. Things were not great for the Pacers.

The Hawks were a bit better in the last three weeks of the season than they were earlier but they are undersized against the Pacers.

Points to ponder

A matchup of Indiana’s David West and Atlanta’s Paul Millsap is intriguing; both are prolific scorers and the point guard matchup of Pacers’ George Hill and Jeff Teague matches a couple of speedsters.

The Hawks love the three-point shot and could try to stretch the Pacers out and load up from downtown.

What will happen

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Indiana in five

No. 2 Miami vs. No. 7 Charlotte

Season series: Miami 4-0

Overview

The two-time defending champions from Miami seemed to have no concern about matchups, resting key players at a time and not going hell-bent for leather to finish first in the conference.

Given their vast post-season experience and pedigree, that probably wasn’t a bad idea, especially since guard Dwayne Wade seems to be healthier than he’s been in a while.

The upstart Bobcats — the only team in the league without a playoff series victory to its credit — may need a miracle of biblical proportions to pull this one out. They have to avoid the “just happy to be here” syndrome in their first playoff appearance since the 2009-10 season.

Points to ponder

If the Heat has one weakness, it can be dealing with size and talented post scorers, and that’s Charlotte’s Al Jefferson to a ‘T.’ Chris Bosh may have his hands full and there’s not an awful lot behind him.

But as good as defender as Charlotte’s Michael Kidd-Gilchrist might one day become, he has little chance of slowing LeBron James, who lit up the Bobcats for 61 points earlier this season.

What will happen

Miami in four

No. 4 Chicago vs. No. 5 Washington

Season series: Washington 2-1

The overview

The Bulls are relentless, they defend in waves, they don’t seem to take a second off at any point in any game and with Joakim Noah in the middle, they are a true defensive force. They may have trouble scoring but are quite capable and willing to win games in the 60s.

The Wizards started the season with only one goal in mind — make it to the post-season — and budding star John Wall had an outstanding year to make that happen.

Points to ponder

One of Wall’s great strengths is beating opposing guards off the dribble and getting to the rim. Good luck with that with Noah and Taj Gibson clogging up the lane as well as any duo in the NBA.

But if the Wizards do have a chance, it’ll come because they can score and the Bulls go through periods where offence is basically non-existent.

What will happen

Chicago in six

Western Conference

No. 1 San Antonio vs. No. 8 Dallas

Season series: San Antonio won 4-0

The overview

Go figure. The Spurs ran through the regular season and emerged as the best team in the league for about the 100th time. Well-rested — no one averaged more than 30 minutes a game — and as battle-tested as any team in the playoffs, they are the true dynasty of this era.

The Mavs were infused by the youthful skills of Monta Ellis, but they remain a bit old and creaky and haven’t given the Spurs even a bit of trouble all season.

Points to ponder

San Antonio’s Tim Duncan and Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki have played against each other in the division for what seems like forever and are two of the league’s great elder statesmen. Duncan, however, seems to win all the time.

It’s a series of particular interest to Toronto fans, with Mavs starting guard Jose Calderon and sixth man Vince Carter still holding some allure.

What will happen

Spurs in five

No. 2 Oklahoma City vs. No. 7 Memphis

Season series: Thunder 3-1

The overview

A rematch of a 2013 series won by the Grizzlies with one huge difference: Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook was injured and did not play and he seems close to full health after three knee surgeries in a year.

Memphis swooned big-time in the middle of the season when Marc Gasol missed almost two months with a knee injury but have finished strongly.

Points to ponder

Kevin Durant and Westbrook are a lethal pairing and are fully comfortable with each other. Toss in Serge Ibaka and his ability to alter games with his defence and the Thunder is a handful all over the court.

The Grizzlies can still be one of the most imposing defensive teams, especially with Gasol protecting the rim, and Memphis has the ability to slow a game down to its pedestrian speed, which doesn’t mesh well with what Oklahoma likes to do.

What will happen

Oklahoma City in six

No 3. L.A. Clippers vs. No. 6 Golden State

Season series: 2-2

The overview

A study in contrasts. The Clippers can be dominant in the frontcourt with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan with Chris Paul orchestrating the offence. Los Angeles is also one of the deepest teams around and is buoyed by the return of JJ Redick.

The Warriors can bury teams with an onslaught of three-pointers, and Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson form the highest-scoring backcourt in the league.

Points to ponder

The Warriors suffered a huge blow when Andrew Bogut was hit with a rib injury that could keep him out. And their best defender is Andre Iguodala, but his skills aren’t going to work against the Clippers’ frontcourt.

Los Angeles is vastly improved defensively and could very well smother Curry and Thompson; the Warriors don’t have an awful lot of consistency behind them.

What will happen

Clippers in six

No. 4 Houston vs. No. 5 Portland

Season series: Houston 3-1

The overview

It’s probably an overstatement to suggest it’s a two-man contest between Houston’s Dwight Howard and James Harden and Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard. But it’s not far off, since both teams rely so heavily on them.

The Blazers were one of the huge surprises of the first half of the season and cooled; it took the Rockets a bit of time to figure things out but they have.

Points to ponder

Houston’s pesky guard Patrick Beverley is not 100 per cent with a knee injury but he has the kind of grit and talent to disrupt Lillard enough to make a difference. And Howard knows how much attention will be paid to him to show he’s a capable playoff performer.

Portland added much-needed depth to the roster this season but the disparity in post-season experience is going to be too much to overcome.

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